Union Cabinet approves guidelines for IPTV services

MUMBAI: The Union Cabinet today gave its approval to the guidelines for provisioning of Internet Protocol Television (IPTV) services.

The Cabinet also gave its approval to amend the policy guidelines for downlinking of TV channels for allowing broadcasters to provide content to IPTV service providers.

Issuance of guidelines on IPTV will bring clarity on defining the parameters in which such service providers will work as also clarifying how these services are going to be regulated.

As per the current downlinking norms, broadcasters are only allowed to share their channels for the cable and direct-to-home (DTH) platforms. Now, with the modification in the policy guidelines, IPTV service providers will be able to obtain content of registered satellite TV channels from the broadcasters.

Currently BSNL and MTNL have been providing IPTV services in India across various cities. Reliance ADAG and Bharti Airtel also have plans to roll out their IPTV services soon.